Chapter 7
seven
. . .
Easton
“That was amazing,” Henley whispered as we walked side by side out of the courtroom.
Once we were out in the hallway, Sadie Walker turned to face me. “Easton, I owe you everything. I never thought I had a chance of winning this case until you agreed to take it.”
Sadie wasn’t lying. She was going up against a big chain restaurant, and they knew how to intimidate people who attempted to fight them tooth and nail for fair compensation after being let go from a job she’d given her heart and soul to.
“What they did to you was wrong. You gave them twenty-eight years, and you should have gotten a goddamn ticker tape parade.” Instead, they’d fired her unfairly and unjustly. And the court had agreed with me.
“Thank you.” Her weathered face showed the distress this had caused her, and I was hoping the large check she’d receive very soon would help alleviate some of that stress. “You were the only one who stepped up and offered to help me.”
“Don’t give me more credit than I deserve,” I said.
Sadie leaned forward and whispered to Henley. “He did it pro bono. I couldn’t afford a fancy lawyer.”
Sadie could barely afford to stay afloat and keep a roof over her head. But sometimes, you met people who you knew deserved a break.
And Sadie Walker deserved a break.
She deserved someone to stand up for her in a forum where others would listen.
These were the days that I really loved my job.
“He’s clearly softer than he lets on,” Henley said as her gaze locked with mine.
“All right, Sadie. You go celebrate with your family. I’ll follow up with you next week on what you can expect moving forward.”
The older woman threw herself into my arms, and I patted her back before giving her a nod and watching her walk away.
Henley studied me for a few beats. “The ruthless Easton Chadwick, AKA…the Shark, has a heart?”
“Don’t offend me.” I motioned for her to walk outside, and we paused when a few reporters asked if we were happy with the settlement.
I stopped to make a very brief statement, letting them know we were pleased that justice was served today, before guiding Henley toward the waiting car.
We’d left my car at the office when we’d arrived in the city this morning and used the company car service so we didn’t have to deal with the press and parking.
Our driver, Walt, opened the back door, and Henley slipped inside first, before I moved in beside her. The woman distracted me to no end. I’d avoided her these last few weeks, bogging her down with cases and then deciding last minute to bring her to court with me after she’d all but begged.
Roses and jasmine were my new kryptonite.
Her scent was fucking everywhere.
It was like some sort of curse, having this woman as my mentee. I’d tried to get laid after pickleball a few weeks ago, and when I was about to close the deal with Valerie Lennox, a woman I’d spent some time with on and off over the years, I just wasn’t feeling it.
So, I’d fucked my fist more times than I could count to thoughts of my boss’s daughter over the last few weeks.
A woman I was mentoring.
I blamed her goddamn scent for all of it.
Her sapphire eyes.
Her plump lips that I imagined wrapped around my dick.
Her sexy-as-hell legs, which were currently on display in this SUV.
The space was small.
Too small.
And Henley was—everywhere.
I didn’t get distracted by women. At least, I hadn’t for a very long time.
And I didn’t fucking like it.
So, most of the time, I barked at her, and she’d clearly tried her best to keep busy and stay away.
And then I’d invited her to court. Today of all days.
This was the one day a year that I preferred to be alone, at least while I wasn’t working.
I had my reasons, and most people in my life just accepted it.
Yet, I’d made the offer to bring her. We’d spent thirty minutes in the car alone as we drove to the city this morning, and we’d barely said two words to one another.
She’d claimed she was reading over the notes for the case, but I think she just didn’t want to make small talk after the way I’d acted ever since I’d brought her to pickleball.
And now we were sitting beside one another, heading to meet her father for lunch.
“I’m glad you came today. It’s good for you to get experience in the courtroom.”
“Thanks. I wasn’t sure if I was going to get to go, seeing as you insisted you weren’t bringing me, and then did a one-eighty. It seems to be your thing.” She smirked.
I narrowed my gaze and then snapped my fingers a few times. “Things are always changing in the legal world, Princess. You have to be ready to pivot at all times.”
“Sure. Law and pivoting go hand in hand,” she said with a chuckle.
Is she mocking me?
“Listen, I’m your mentor. I’m not here to hold your hand. I’m here to show you what you’re getting into.”
“I appreciate it,” she said dryly, as if she were completely annoyed by me.
“Something bothering you? Because this would be the time to tell me. We’re about to be at lunch with your father, so I’d rather clear the air now. If I’m pushing you too hard, you need to tell me.”
She gasped as her head whipped in my direction. “Pushing me too hard? You have no idea how hard I can be pushed.”
Why was she so pissed all of a sudden?
“Okay.” I smirked, holding her gaze. “I can push you harder if you’d like.”
“How about you just treat me like you’d treat anyone else. I swear you’re giving me whiplash, Chadwick.”
“Whiplash? I thought you just said I could push you harder, Princess.” I quirked a brow, and I could see the anger in her eyes.
And I liked it.
Why the fuck do I like it so much?
“One minute, you’re inviting me to pickleball and acting like a normal human, and the next, you can’t seem to stand the sight of me, and you’re kicking me out of your office and yelling at me. I can’t figure you out.”
“Perhaps you shouldn’t try. I’m a complicated man.”
She leaned forward, keeping her voice low. “Maybe you need to… what did you call it? Blow off some steam. But according to ‘The Taylor Tea,’ you already did that with a certain local. Yet, you’re still snapping at me all the time.”
Of course, she’d read the ridiculous column. And they’d kept that narrative going for the last two weeks because, apparently, there was nothing new to share in Rosewood River.
“First of all, you attended Harvard Law School. I can’t believe you’re reading that shit.
You probably lost brain cells on that one.
” I shook my head in disgust. “Desiree Carson grew up next door to me, and she’s barely twenty-one years old.
The insinuation is offensive. She’s a family friend.
She was upset, and I walked her home. And for the record, she and Grant are back together.
She never moved out. He never cheated. They’d had a fight, and some nosy-ass deviant decided to run with it.
But I’m wondering why you appear so concerned with my sex life, anyway? ”
Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly straightened her features. “I’m not. My best friend came to town for a visit, and the column was right up her alley. I guessed it was you that they were referencing.”
“It’s ridiculous that they’re allowed to print that bullshit.”
“Why are you so bothered by it if it isn’t true? Who even writes it, and why is it called ‘The Taylor Tea?’”
“The Taylor family owns the paper. A lot of people assume their daughter, Emilia, writes the column, though she’s denied it.”
“The anonymity probably makes it more exciting. Why are you so worked up about it?” she asked, her voice completely calm, yet I was pissed off now.
“They wrote all sorts of shit about my sister when her wedding blew up, and I tried to intimidate them with some legal jargon, but it’s hard to stop someone from printing what they want to print nowadays.”
“It’s not that big of a deal. You’re single, right? So it’s not like it’s offending anyone.”
She was awfully concerned with my dating status.
We pulled up in front of the restaurant in downtown San Francisco, and Walt opened the back door, allowing me to slip out first, before I helped Henley out of the car.
She startled when a passing car laid on their horn, and I chuckled. “It’s hard not to be surprised by the noise when you’ve been living in a peaceful place for the last few weeks.”
She nodded, and I guided her toward the front door of the restaurant, maneuvering through the people who were walking down the street, on a mission to get wherever they were going.
Charles was sitting at the back table with another managing partner, Dick Jones. I couldn’t stand the guy. He was a weasel. He took shortcuts at his job, but he was a close friend of Charles’s, so they were often together at work lunches.
They both stood as we approached the table.
“There’s my girl. You look beautiful, sweetheart,” Charles said as he pulled his daughter in for a hug before shaking my hand.
“Well, look at you, Henley. You look all grown up, like a real lawyer.” Dick chuckled before wrapping his arms around her.
Who the fuck says that?
She didn’t seem fazed, as she was obviously used to dealing with assholes in a male-dominant profession. I pulled out the chair beside her father and motioned for her to sit down. Then I settled in the seat on the other side of her.
The waiter came by and took our drink orders as he set down the brie appetizer, and we all dove in.
“I heard that you crushed it in court today. Another win for the team,” Charles said, and I nodded.
“Thank you. The client deserved it, so I’m glad the court sided with us.” I reached for my Pellegrino and took a sip.
“He’s being humble. He owned that courtroom.” Henley shrugged.
I puffed my chest up but tried to act unaffected.
“Wow. That’s a high compliment. My girl is a tough critic.” Charles held his whiskey glass up for the waiter to bring him another.